What Happened?

We took a brief, albeit unscheduled, hiatus this past week…and…We’re Back!

So what happened? Vacations, work, kids, yarn, tomato fungus (really), sketchy lace knitting (later on that one), star gazing, and the pilgrimage to see the new Harry Potter with Harriet and the Yarn Gang.

Here’s what I learned over the week: first, to everyone of you who reads us, thank you for sticking with us over a sticky week and thanks for asking after our collective health. Suzanne gets a deep bow for coming through with a great post on “Christmas (Stockings) in July”. And (note to self) you’re never too old (or young) to learn something new…or start something new.

And this lace business is eluding me. I started four (yes, 4) patterns this week and was a mess of mistakes, miscounts and general nonsense. I am a coward in the face of casting on 431 stitches and making it to the third row unscathed. I’m starting Shawl #5. Persistence pays (maybe).

Some fun for the week coming: this week a summer treat awaits in the nightime sky (weather permitting around here). The impending height of the Delta Aquarid meteor showers approaches. Find out all about it on Star Date.

And if you love owls as much as I do, come join me Friday evening, July 31, for the annual Owl Prowl at Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center in Cropseyville.

2 Responses

My solution to the problem of casting on 451 stitches etc. is to do a shawl that starts at the small end. I’m working on my first lace, the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark, and it actually starts in the middle of the long edge (yarn overs at the center make each row turn a right angle). This means that although I’ve made mistakes, the shortness of the rows means they don’t offset an entire long row of stitches, and in the meantime I’ve gotten better at it so that now the longer rows don’t cause me much of a problem.

I have done shawls that start at the center back (either the bottom corner or the center of the top edge). Both are fun to work and go rather quickly for about the first quarter or first third. You get really pleased with how much turned out so quickly. It’s around that point where the rows start to become tediously LONG though!

Keep at that lace!

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